Thursday, April 30, 2009

The Board of Organization Intersex International (oii) is planning a book, to be written by intersex people about their own lives. Proposals are sought from individuals who are born with a variety of IS conditions.

Chapters can be about:1. Your stories, your words, your voices, your lives.2. How you feel current gender theory affects the intersex condition you were born with.

Writers may need to do some research, especially for the second chapter. Although this is not a formal academic exercise, where writers do refer to books, theories or incorporate quotations, but they will need to provide some form of reference so that when the book is edited these can be assimilated using a formal referencing system.

Those who want to contribute should put their proposals (say, a couple of hundred words) into an e-mail and send it to joanne.proctor@gmail.com

Submissions will be evaluated by a small panel who will select which proposals to include for publication. Chapters may be co-authored. Anyone who wants to protect their anonymity can do that by clearly saying so. There is no reason for people to feel they cannot contribute for fear of being outed or identified!

This exercise is not restricted to OII members. All intersexed people are invited to submit a proposal. People of all cultures and all languages are welcome.

There have been calls for the resignation of North Carolina representative Virginia Foxx who yesterday during the house of representatives hearing of H.R. 1913 the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act AKA Matthew Shepard Act, called Matthew Shepard's case a "hoax" and a crime not motivated by anti-gay bias but by robbery.

Below a video from Media Matters captures the reps comments, and the facts that the Matthew Shepard case was indeed a hate crime motivated by sexual orientation:

The representative later, said the word "hoax" was likely a poor choice of words, but did not apologize for her comments.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Be prepared to get out onto the streets the day the California supreme court rules on the validity of proposition 8. Regardless of the outcome, thousands will be out to either celebrate or protest the court decision. The court will alert us 24 hours prior to their decision being made public.

The Local Law Enforcement Protection Act H.R. 1913 (Matthew Shepard Bill) has passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 249-175. The bill expands the federal hate crimes statute to include actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity.

The bill will now move on to the senate, please contact your senators and urge them to vote for passage of the bill.

GLBT Near Me is a national resource database that helps people find local/national resources for the community. Type in your zip code to find GLBT/GLBT friendly support, social, youth, sports, houses of worship, etc in your community.

The bill must now go to back to the house which already previously approved it, and will likely pass. Action is now needed to get New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch to sign the bill. He has remained mute on the subject but in the past has stated personal opposition.

The airways and the Internet are saturated, literally dripping with analyses and discussions of President Barack Obama’s first 100 days in office. When Obama was sworn in, the White House announced an eight-point civil rights agenda for LGBT Americans.

In assessing Obama’s progress in fulfilling this agenda, it bears remembering that each of the goals listed require action from Congress. None of these can be addressed by a presidential order. But we’ve already been disappointed to see foot-dragging on the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” not just in Congress but at the White House as well.

Please urge the White House and President Obama to stand firm in his support for LGBT rights and in passing them as soon as possible.

The threat of a swine flu epidemic in the United States has many people living with HIV concerned about their health and safety. POZ and AIDSmeds check in with WHO and the CDC for the latest. In short: While there are reasons to be cautious, there’s no reason to panic.

What is swine flu?

Swine flu is a respiratory disease common among pigs. Though people are not usually susceptible to swine flu, animal-to-human transmission has been documented, notably among farmers working closely with pigs. What’s unique about the particular strain now under surveillance—dubbed swine influenza type A/H1N1—is its ability to spread from person to person.

A possible reason for this is the fact that pigs can be infected with not only swine influenza, but also flu viruses that affect humans and birds. The genetic material from multiple influenza viruses can then mix. Swine influenza typeA/H1N1, for example, contains genes from two strains of swine flu, one strain of bird flu and one strain of human influenza.

Is swine flu deadly?

All types of influenza that cause disease in humans can be deadly—approximately 200,000 people are hospitalized and 36,000 people die from flu-related complications every year in the United States.

There is no reason to believe that the swine flu being reported is any more deadly than the regular seasonal flu. Of the 40 confirmed cases of swine flu in humans in the United States as of April 27, none have resulted in death. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all cases reported in the United States thus far were associated with mild symptoms of illness, with only one patient requiring brief hospital care.

Is swine flu a threat to people living with HIV?

People living with HIV—as well as those with other chronic conditions, such as heart disease, asthma and diabetes—are believed to face an increased risk of serious influenza-related symptoms. According to the CDC, there is often a spike in the number of heart- and lung-related hospitalizations among people living with HIV during the winter influenza season as opposed to other times of the year. Studies also indicate that influenza symptoms might be prolonged and the risks of influenza-related complications—including death—are higher for certain HIV-positive people.

It is not clear that this strain of swine flu poses any more or less of a risk to people living with HIV. One theory: Given that, at least in Mexico, swine flu mimics what was seen during the 1918 influenza pandemic—it appears most serious among people between 18 and 35 years of age; those with healthy immune systems that become hyperactive in response to the virus and causes serious respiratory inflammation and disease—and may be less of a threat to those with compromised immune systems, such as people living with HIV. Unfortunately, it is not clear if this theory will hold up, given that many HIV-positive people are responding well to antiretroviral treatment, compounded by the possibility that a hyperactive immune response to HIV, not the virus itself, is responsible for HIV disease progression and a heightened risk of non-AIDS related health problems.

To help prevent seasonal flu, an annual vaccine is recommended for people with HIV to lower the risk of infection or serious disease if infection does occur. Unfortunately, a vaccine has not yet been developed against swine influenza A/H1N1. But people living with HIV can take steps to prevent infection.

How can I protect myself?

The CDC and other public health experts list fairly simple ways to prevent the spread of swine influenza A/H1N1. These include:

* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. * Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective. * Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way. * Try to avoid close contact with sick people. * Very little is known about the benefits of wearing face masks to help control the spread of flu. Whenever possible, instead of relying on face masks, try avoiding close contact and crowded conditions—particularly if swine flu reaches pandemic status. * No evidence shows that swine flu can be transmitted through food. Eating properly handled pork—cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees—is safe. * If you come down with influenza-like symptoms, contact your doctor’s office immediately and stay home from work or school.

It is possible to rapidly develop a vaccine—if it’s needed. “We’ve identified the virus,” Richard Besser, MD, acting director of the CDC said during a White House press briefing on Sunday. “Should we decide to manufacture a vaccine, we can work toward that goal very quickly.” Though it would likely take at least four months to develop and mass produce a vaccine against H1N1, it could be available in time for a possible second wave of swine flu this coming winter.

A law protecting all of our citizens against senseless hate violence is long overdue. Two years ago, radical right-wing groups and George W. Bush's veto threat blocked the Matthew Shepard Act, which would outlaw hate crimes based on both sexual orientation and gender identity. But now the bill is back.

The Trevor Project operates a 24/7 suicide prevention national hotline for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. The service offers a non judgmental person to talk to about your problems, and to help you realize that there is hope amidst despair.

The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 (H.R. 1913) AKA "The Matthew Shepard Act" will be up for a vote tomorrow in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill would amend the federal hate crimes law to include to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

The right-wing is contacting congress at an alarming rate, calling the bill a "thought crimes bill" and flat out lying that this bill will somehow impede on their free speech rights.

Monday, April 27, 2009

There will be a protest tomorrow in Boston, Massachusetts of the so called "ex-gay" conference by Exodus International which unsuccessfully attempts to alter sexual orientation and gender identity. The consequences of this pseudo-scientific "therapy" often results in depression, self esteem damage, and in some instances suicide.

Below is a video of Zack, a 16 year old gay teen forced into "ex-gay" therapy against his will. His story mobilized people to speak up against this unethical and ineffective practice.

The protest will be held from 12:00PM to 3:00PM at the Park street station near the fountain. Speakers include: Arline Isaacson of The Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus, Stewart Landers, Scott Gortikov of MassEquality, Tom Lang of KnowThyNeighbor.org, Paul Sousa of Join the Impact MA, and keynote speaker Wayne Besen, founder of TruthWinsOut.org.

As of Fri, only 1 of 100 Senators signed on to support LGBT health data collection! Do you know the Census only has 14 questions but this federal health survey has hundreds? Wanna know what % of lesbians have breast cancer? What heart disease rates are for gay men? What the smoking rate is for bisexuals? Then we need to get the gov’t to ask about LGBT people on their federal health surveys!

We need people to call their Senators now to say we will not be ignored in federal surveys any longer, they need to sign on to the Sen. Whitehouse letter about LGBT health data collection by Tue! This is the springboard to getting LGBTs on the Census + it’s the single thing that would completely change LGBT health. So please call your Senators now and insist they sign on to this letter! 202-224-3121

Talking points: * “I urge you to signon to support the Sen. Whitehouse letter asking for LGBT data collection in the largest federal health survey, the National Health Interview Survey.”

* “LGBTs have many acknowledged health disparities, but until the federal health surveys stop ignoring us, our hands will be tied in getting the data that’s needed to eliminate these disparities.”

A new movie called Outrage by director Kirby Dick is sure to shake the boots of anti-gay closeted politicians throughtout the United States. The film documents those who have been outed in the past, and even names current U.S. politicians who live a double life, having homosexual sex, while voting against nearly all gay rights measures.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

You don't have to fight to change the world. Promote love and equality by the simple act of holding hands.

This campaign's aim is to INSPIRE and SUPPORT same-sex couples who want to hold their partner's hand in public.

Holding hands with your partner, where you can, is about being true to yourself and to those you love. This is not a protest, a rally, a Pride or a march. This is about you and the life you lead every day.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Television personality celebrity Kim Kardashian best known for her E! reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians is the latest celebrity to speak out against Miss California's anti-marriage remark at the Miss USA competition.

“I don’t agree with her narrow mindedness and neither do a lot of people. I’m not so narrow-minded so I definitely think a lot broader. Everyone has the right to be happy and be treated equally and I think not allowing gay marriage just kind of puts us back. I believe you’re in love with who you’re in love with, and you should be able to marry them. No one should tell someone else how to think or how to feel.”

“I obviously have a completely different opinion but I think her answer was true to her. That answer represented her and how she felt. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. She stood up for what she believes in so she should be happy with that backlash”(Reality TV Mag).

To leave a comment for Kim Kardashian check out her blog, she tries to read all comments daily!

The tide appears to be turning, the last few weeks has brought us more states legalizing and considering same-sex marriage. We now have four states (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and Iowa) with legal marriage equality. Many other states are considering marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships legislation.

Some states have added gender identity/expression to their hate crimes legislation, and many more states are considering these proposals which have passed in house and senate committees.

Celebrities like Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, and Heidi Montag among others have come out in support of gay rights, and while they hold no power, they do hold fame and media influence.

Republicans like Steve Schmidt, Christine Whitman, and Meghan McCain have been outspoken in support of marriage equality. Other republicans and conservatives are urging the party to focus on issues that matter, and not stand in the way of gay rights which they see as inevitable reality.

What do you make of the sudden slew of victories? Is this a result of the democratic majority? Is society really ready for LGBT people? Do economic troubles make it easier for queer legislation to pass? Whatever the reason, the tide appears to be turning, and this is good.

The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 (H.R. 1913) would add sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability to existing federal hate crimes laws. It would also strengthen enforcement of these laws by allowing the US Department of Justice to assist local authorities in the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes cases. The bill is identical to the hate crimes legislation passed by the House of Representatives in 2007 and is transgender-inclusive.

There have been a plethora of so called "LGBT" sources lately that continually question the legitimacy of the bisexual orientation, how is that acting as a community, or accepting non-heteronormative identities besides just gay and lesbian.

Here are some of my reactions to some select quotes in the article:

"So what do we make of these guys who define themselves as bi? Are they really fooling themselves as they screw their way down the path to gayhood?"

I accept peoples choice to self-identify as they like, and am fully comfortable in accepting bisexuality as a variant of human sexuality. The sexual continuum allows for varying degrees of sexuality, while some people are exclusively heterosexual or homosexual, many people fall somewhere along the long, complicated and often blurred line of human sexuality.

"Some people are just sexually charged and will take it wherever they can get it."

Bisexual people are no more sexually charged than any other sexual orientation. The capacity to have sexual/romantic feelings for either gender, does not mean you have a high sex drive nor does it mandate that you not follow monogamy. Bisexuals can be just as exciting or boring as the rest of society, regardless of their sexual orientation.

"Women on the other hand are more emotionally driven than men and can, I believe, be bisexual."

There are emotional men, and non-emotional women, and to preach otherwise is to make a broad statement that when held to the test will fail. Emotion has nothing to do with gender, males are emotional, society shuns male emotion regarding it as effeminate, but that does not mean that it does not exist.

The New Hampshire House of Representatives has passed two important bills: a bill to add gender identity and expression protections to the state's anti-discrimination and hate crimes laws and a bill to replace the separate and unequal civil union system with full marriage equality under state law for lesbian and gay couples in loving and committed relationships. These bills would propel NH forward on equality for LGBT people and families.

Both of these bills now await action by the state senate. Please take action now by contacting your state senator and asking him or her to vote yes on HB 415 and HB 436!

Lesbian Cafe is a Blog about the adventures of discovering one's sexuality and the journey of coming out from a hetero life. The journey covers everything from a married woman who loves women to a lesbian marriage going bad.

The Maine Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing yesterday on LD 1020 the bill to reverse the state ban on same-sex marriage and open up the institution to gay and lesbian couples. 3,000 people packed the University of Maine campus to speak as proponents or opponents of the bill, in a heated 14 hour long event.

The committee will convene again on Tuesday, April 28th, and it is critical that they hear more testimonies and opinions of those in favor of full marriage rights.

Maine residents can send a message to their representatives through the Equality Maine form.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

The National Gay Pilots Association is an organization of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender pilots and other aviation enthusiasts/ professionals from across the U.S. and around the world--promoting aviation safety and equal treatment.

This week, one of the two major bills that the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition has proposed this year will be before a House Subcommittee. This Wednesday, April 22, the House Criminal Practice Subcommittee will take up HB0335 by Jeanne Richardson (D-Memphis). This bill would add “gender identity or expression” to Tennessee’s hate crimes sentencing enhancement statute.

Please contact the members of the House Criminal Practice Subcommittee, and ask them to vote YES on HB0335:

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Lee Waters is a folk musician who often makes great songs about queer culture and issues. You can even get in touch with him if you have an idea or would like to request music for your blog, or an event you are hosting!

Monday, April 20, 2009

LGBT advocates have not been outspoken on The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), a piece of legislation that would compliment the Employment Non Discrimination Act in providing protections for all workers and much needed ones for LGBT employees.

The Employee Free Choice Act would make it easier for employees to unite and form coalitions and unions to fight unfair labor practices, and to advocate for living wages, health benefits, and job security.

How will this legislation help the LGBT community:

Increased union representation will lead to a higher standard of living for all Americans especially people who make significantly less income (transgender people and queer people of color).

There are no federal protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation/gender identity but often unions as a collective will have such a policy in place to help remedy the situation.

EFCA will help LGBT people bargain for more benefits including, inclusive language for LGBT families in the Family Medical Leave Act, offering domestic partner health benefits, removing transgender health exclusions, passing of pension benefits to same-sex spouse or their children.

BiNet USA courtesy of the New York Area Bisexual Network is offering some free and uber-hip pride icons/graphics for the bisexual, pansexual, and sexually fluid identities just in time to kick off the LGBT pride season.

Be sure to check them out and add them to your blogs, facebook, myspace, twitter, etc.

The former Republican Governor of New Jersey Christine Whitman in speaking to the Log Cabin Republicans has called for a repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, and for the Republican party to remove their opposition to same-sex marriage from the GOP platform.

She argued that "civil marriage should be for everyone, and that gay couples marrying does not threaten her marriage". She went on to say that she respects that "there is a place for Conservative Christians in the party, but said that there should be a place for pro-equality Republicans as well".

Christine Whitman along with other moderate Republicans have created the Republican Leadership Council which seeks to get back to the fundamentals of the Republican party while striving for pro-LGBT, pro-choice, eco-friendly, and racial justice legislation.

The International Day Against Homophobia/Transphobia (IDAHO) challenge is a community project by Gays.com to produce a user-generated video to be released May 17 2009, the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO).

Help send in your own personal videos! The project aims to showcase LGBT voices around the world, sharing their stories, in their own languages over the internet.

It could be as simple as saying Hi, my name is _______, I am gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender/queer/intersexual/asexual and your country ________.

DYM SUM is a new GLBTQ-oriented blog that specifically focuses on the triumphs and struggles that occur in the gay rights movement and the gay community. While the blog mostly covers news events (after all, its fearless leader, David, has a degree in Journalism and Communications), there will also be human interest features, media reviews, interviews, and commentary on the GLBTQ world. Like the original "Dim sum" that many enjoy, a lot of what is posted will be easy to digest and fun to experience; most importantly, though, DYM SUM is going to be a place where many who might not be familiar with the GLBTQ community can learn about, and feel part of our world.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Communications of a HomoTextual is a blog by a queer student in Virginia who voices his opinion on a host of LGBTQ issues. What sets this blog apart is that each entry is a unique email or letter he has sent to major forces and individuals opposed to gay rights.

Governor David Patterson has announced the introduction of a marriage equality bill within New York state. A previous bill under governor Eliot Spitzer passed the state house but was not allowed to come up for a vote in the then republican controlled senate.

New York now needs to pass the bill again within the assembly and to garner enough votes to pass the bill within the senate. The governor will then sign the bill into law making New York the next state to have full marriage rights for same-sex couples.

Sign the Empire State Pride Agenda's E-contact Form to urge your representatives to go on record supporting marriage equality.

April 15th was the last official day to file taxes for all income earning American citizens. Tax Day has always been a source of stress and frustration for households across the nation rushing to file their forms, and get through the legal mumbo jumbo in time.

The day has also been one of protest by groups who are opposed to government policy. The LGBT community has been dealt an unfair hand when it comes to taxes.

Same-sex couples cannot enjoy the benefit of filing joint taxes, because the Defense of Marriage Act does not allow federal recognition of same-sex relationships. Each partner must expend more time and resources to file their taxes individually. LGBT people are forced to pay taxes on their partners health care benefits as if it were additional income, because the government regards gay and lesbian people as single.

There are also many financial inequities that result from the current federal law that prohibits recognition of same-sex marriage and civil unions, such as denial of social security benefits and inheritance rights.

What do you make of the ill treatment LGBT people suffer through when it comes to taxes? Have you personally had any obstacles in the process? What can be done to help LGBT families until state and federal laws change?

Friday, April 17, 2009

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) has been leading the national crusade against same-sex marriage since President Gordon B. Hinckley issued such a proclamation in 1988. The Church showed just how effective it could be beginning in Hawaii in the mid-nineties all the way through to California’s Proposition 8 in 2008. They were involved to some degree with all 30 state elections outlawing same-sex marriage.

The purpose of Mormongate.com is to tell the real truth about the Mormon Church’s massive involvement and cover-up of this issue. Nearly all of their activities are intended to be highly secretive. This strategy has served them well over the past 20 years; however, we have recently received documentation of just how they operate.